Bright Future
by saku642734
Summary: Minerva McGonagall thinks over the past and has a parting conversation with a certain heartattack inducing student. (Written for round 4 of the quidditch league fanfiction competition)


**This story is based on Harry Potter written by J.K Rowling**

 **A/N: Written for the quidditch league fanfiction competition**

 **Round 4- Forgotten Families**

 **Seeker- The McGonagalls**

It's on days like this that it becomes obvious that everything's worth it. All of the heartache that life causes has a purpose, it leads to something wonderful. It might be hard, but all you have to do is push through the terrible things first.

On a day like today Minerva McGonagall, the recently appointed Headmistress, admires her surroundings in the repaired Great Hall.

Students are happily milling about, eating their meals with friends, and laughing without a care in the world.

It's good to see the children happy again. Most of them, especially the seventh years, haven't been carefree since they were first years. It pains her every time she thinks it. It was unbearable to contemplate just how much they, she, had failed the children in her care. She closes her eyes and shakes her head. Now was not the time to think about that.

Reflecting on events of recent years, inevitably brings back the memories of the first wizarding war and how much tragedy that also caused. Those memories are always there, lingering on the edge of her mind.

There are, of course, good memories mixed in with the bad, but they are easily overshadowed.

One such example was the happiness between Minerva and her husband Elphinstone. They had a few bright years of marriage before he died suddenly due to a Venomous Tentacula bite.

To be so harshly ripped from her, while the memories of the first war and the prior death of another love interest were still fresh in her mind was devastating for her.

However, being able to see the expressions on the children's faces is like a balm for her soul, lessening the pain those memories bring with them. When she sees the hope and happiness in these children, her children, she feels the shackles of her past pain fall away.

It is rewarding to know that she plays a part in keeping them safe—at least, she tries her best to keep as many of them safe as she can. There were many failures, her heart constricts just thinking about it, and Potter nearly gives her a heart attack every year without fail, but she tries, and that's really all she can do.

Still, all of it was worth it to get this ending. Every hardship Minerva went through, no matter how small, helped her get to this point.

She breaks out of her thoughts as she sees a certain group of troublemakers start to pack their things for their next class.

After the Battle of Hogwarts, the seventh years were given a chance to repeat their year. Now they were only a few weeks away from graduating.

If anyone deserves to graduate it's those three. Fighting a dark wizard while keeping up with your studies isn't exactly easy, and while that year had affected all of them, those three in particular had suffered a lot. They had lost an innocence to the horrors of war that they could never recuperate, and Minerva was so proud of them for reaching this point. Of course, that didn't mean that Minerva, or any of the other professors, was going to take it easy on them. She might have a soft spot for them, for all these young children that had been forced to grow up too fast, but she will make sure that when they graduate they deserve it.

As she watches them stand up, she smiles, thinking how obvious it is what fine young people they have grown up to be.

Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger continue out of the great hall while Mr. Potter breaks off from them to continue over towards the head table.

Arriving at the table, he stops in front of Hagrid to speak with him. Minerva is too far away to overhear their conversation so she brings her attention back to finishing her meal.

After a few minutes the Great Hall is nearly empty except for a few stragglers, a handful of both students and professors. Which happens to include Hagrid and Mr. Potter still deep in discussion.

Once Minerva finally finishes eating, she stands to head back towards her new office; however, Mr. Potter appears in front of her, evidently finished with his previous conversation.

He gives her a sheepish look. "Hello Professor, do you have a minute?"

She wasn't in a hurry per say, but a Headmistress' job is never done so she waves him towards to door. "Let's walk and talk, Mr. Potter."

It's not until they are a ways down the hall when he finally starts talking. "I have been meaning to thank you, Professor. Without your help we probably would not have survived very long. We ended up having to use everything you taught us while we were on the run." He glances at her, a small smile pulling at his lips. "Never really knew how important transfiguration is."

Minerva smirks, a smug edge that was almost foreign to her. "I'm glad I got some of those lessons to sink in." Her smirk deepens. "Though, I'm sure Miss Granger had a hand in that also."

He colors in embarrassment. "Yeah." He scratches his scar. "She's pretty great."

She changes the subject, "Am I to assume you will be going into Auror training after you graduate?"

He stands up straight, giving off an aura of pride. "Yes, as soon as we can, Ron and I will sign up for training."

Minerva nods her head. "I'm sure anything you choose to do will be just fine." She adds very seriously, "Just know that there will always be a place for you at Hogwarts, as a professor, or simply a guest."

They come to a stop in front of the statue guarding the office and she emphasizes her earlier statement, "You must always remember that Hogwarts is your home."

Harry smiles brightly at her and nods. Her lips twitch and she shoos him away. He grins, and she watches him go, then turns to go up into her office—which part of her will always see as Albus' office.

As she sits behind her desk, she allows a genuine smile to pull at her lips. She knows for certain that this new generation will take the wizarding world by storm. They better be ready.


End file.
